


Operation Idiots In Love

by PrincessPanderp



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Idiots in Love, M/M, Meddling, Mutual Pining, eddie and buck are so in love but too scared to admit it, firefam group chat, the firefam is tired of the sexual tension and they plan on doing something about it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-19 02:22:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29867715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessPanderp/pseuds/PrincessPanderp
Summary: Tired of the mutual pining, the firefam decide it's time to nudge Eddie and Buck in the right direction. Because families meddle, right?
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 5
Kudos: 70





	Operation Idiots In Love

**Bobby**  
"Okay, that's it." Hen sighed as she watched Buck run up the stairs and out the front door. "I can't take it anymore. We gotta get them together."  
"Get who together?" Bobby asked, sipping a ginger ale.  
"Those two idiots who are so far up each other's asses they can't see how in love with each other they are!" she exclaimed, gesturing to where Buck disappeared too.  
Chimney was nodding enthusiastically as he listened to Hen. "He's literally abandoning us because Eddie called and said he broke up with the teacher!" He threw his arms up in the air, dangerously sloshing his own drink.  
"Maybe we shouldn't meddle in their personal lives, guys," Bobby admonished lightly. "If Buck and Eddie are going to actually take the leap they need to do it on their own."  
"Bobby, this is a family, and family meddles in each other's personal lives." Athena gently smacked his arm for emphasis. "Not to mention they're both so oblivious it could take 20 more years before they get it together." There were laughs and murmurs of agreement from their group.  
Bobby and Athena had planned a small baby shower for Maddie and Chimney, not wanting to host too many people during a pandemic, but wanting to celebrate with their chosen family. It was just them, Hen and Karen, Buck and Albert, and of course Chimney and Maddie. Eddie had been invited but had back to back appointments for Christopher and was supposed to have lunch with Ms. Flores.They'd gotten through presents, cake, and some games and were mostly just hanging around and chatting in groups when Eddie called Buck to report that, for whatever reason, he and Ana had decided to call it quits. Buck had been sprinting up the stairs before Eddie had even stopped to take a breath.  
"Whose personal life are we meddling in?" Maddie asked as she made her way over to them, leaving Karen looking bewildered with a very enthusiastically gesturing Albert.  
"Buck and Eddie's," Chimney said, leaning over to kiss Maddie on the cheek when she gracelessly plopped next to him on the couch. "We can't take it anymore. They obviously need a push, just to get the ball rolling."  
"I wholly agree," Maddie said. "They're never gonna get there on their own." She was slowly rubbing a circle on her stomach.  
"We'll need to plan it out carefully," Hen said. "Maybe we should schedule something where we can get together and brainstorm."  
"I'll make a group chat now." Athena set her drink down on a coaster on the coffee table and pulled out her phone.  
"We should come up with a code name," Maddie said. "We don't want them knowing we're talking about them."  
Grinning, Chim said, "Operation Just Admit It Already."  
Hen snickered. "Operation No Homo."  
"Excuse me?" Karen said walking up.  
"Operation We Can't Stand the Sexual Tension Any Longer." At that Maddie shook her head then lightly pushed Chim.  
Hen quietly explained what they were up to to her wife (who looked more and more gleeful with every word) while they all got a text from Athena who had finished creating their group chat. Bobby looked at his phone, a little dismayed to be included in it, but he smiled when he saw the name of the group chat.  
"That's perfect, Athena." Maddie smiled. "It's not exactly discreet but they're so oblivious they would never think it's about them."  
"Bobby called them that the other night, I thought it was fitting."  
"We should include Carla! She'll be so angry if we don't. She likes to gossip about them with Maddie!" Chimney said.  
"We do not _gossip_ about my brother. We simply vent about how dumb they are." Hen and Karen laughed while Chimney rolled his eyes.  
Bobby sighed, sure all future down time was going to be spent on this.  
Operation Idiots in Love.

\---  
**Maddie**  
The next day Maddie had some time, so she called Carla to explain what they were up to and she asked immediately to be added to the group chat.  
"I've been watching those two dance around each other for years. It is high time they get it together."  
"Oh I know!" Maddie exclaimed. She was sitting at the table with a cup of tea, wishing it was a second cup of coffee. "I met Eddie and Chimney at the same time and I said to Buck that day ‘he's cute’ meaning Chim, but Buck immediately responded with ‘he gets that a lot, you should see his son’ cause, you know, Eddie is always on his mind. Even back then." She shook her head even though Carla wouldn't be able to see it.  
"They've both been through so much, before they met and after. I just want to see my two boys happy."  
"And Christopher will be okay with it, right?" Maddie, who was always on the verge of tears these days, fought to keep herself from crying.  
"Honey, Christopher has told me at least 4 times that he wants his dad to marry Buck, so that Buck can be around all the time!"  
"He has?" Maddie asked, losing the battle with her tear ducts.  
"That boy loves our Buckaroo so much,” Carla said, and Maddie could hear the smile in her voice.  
"Buck loves him so much, too," she said, sniffling. "Okay I will add you to the group chat. But I am warning you now you might want to keep it muted. Chim and Hen have been blowing it up all morning."  
After hanging up with Carla, Maddie had a stern talk with her tears ducts _-we cannot cry over everything for the rest of this pregnancy!-_ downed her tea and quickly got ready for work. She'd downgraded to only working part time as her pregnancy progressed. Since this was a _geriatric_ pregnancy (God, did Maddie hate that word) she knew she and the baby were at a higher risk and wanted to make sure she wasn't over exerting herself- not to mention the fact that she cried a lot easier these days. And when you're a 911 operator crying is not beneficial to the people who really need her help. When she got to the call center she saw May and Linda already on the phones and Josh standing with another operator named Cheryl. She quickly made her way to the locker room to stow her bag, stopped for more tea from the break room and settled in at her desk. It was an hour later when she got some inspiration from a call. The caller was a young woman, Daisy, who was on a first date at a small vegan restaurant, and her date, Cara, had been hit by a car while crossing the street after lunch- nothing serious just a broken leg, though, from the sounds of the scene, the driver was under the influence. She dispatched a squad car and EMS to the scene and waited with Daisy who was on the verge of a panic attack. Maddie was able to keep her calm by giving her clear directions on how to help her date, and reminding her to breath. Daisy had the phone on speakerphone, laying on the pavement next to Cara’s head and when the paramedics arrived Daisy let out a sob. “They’re here! Maddie, the paramedics are here!”  
“Good. I may be a little biased, but the 118 is the best firehouse in the city and they will take excellent care of Cara.”  
“Playing favorites, Mads?” she heard Chimney say followed by the smack of his chewing gum. “Guess I can’t really blame you. Alright, Miss, can you tell me your name?”  
“Cara,” she said weakly. Daisy must have picked up her phone and turned off speaker phone because Chimney’s voice became quieter as he continued to assess Cara’s injuries.  
“They know you?” Daisy asked.  
“They do.” Maddie smiled. “We’re family.”  
When Daisy disconnected the call, Maddie quickly wrote down the name of the vegan restaurant knowing that her brother would love it.

\---  
**Hen**  
In the week since they started this group chat Hen and Chimney had been tossing out plenty of outlandish and silly plots to get the boys together, but she knew none of them would actually work. Maddie was working on something involving a restaurant but so far nothing had happened. They needed something so rational and normal that Buck and Eddie wouldn’t even question it. They needed a new tactic so she opened up Operation Idiots In Love and sent off a message. 

When did you first realize? **> Hen**  
**Chimney <** When Buck completely lost it when Eddie was trapped underground  
**Chimney <** dude was clawing at the mud with his bare hands WAILING  
**Karen <** Christmas 2019 he organized that whole dinner so Christopher could spend Christmas with his dad!  
**Carla <** Xmas 2019 for me as well  
**Athena <** When Bobby called Eddie after he stole Chimney’s phone and was nearly arrested.  
**Karen <** Does that mean Bobby knew before then?  
**Karen <** The first time Hen mentioned it to me was when Buck arranged for Christopher to spend the day at the firehouse. Is that when you knew, babe?  
**Chimney** *gag* babe  
That was the day I called it. The way that Eddie looked at Buck that day nearly knocked me over **> Hen**  
Watch it chim **> Hen**  
**Maddie <** I think I knew for sure after the tsunami. Buck called me, completely wrecked because he didn’t know how to tell Eddie they were there.  
**Chimney <** come get me  
**Chimney <** What about you cap?  
**Bobby <** The tsunami was when I couldn’t ignore it anymore.  
**Bobby <** No one else saw them after they took that live round out of the guy’s leg in the back of the ambulance. My gut knew then.  
**Maddie <** Wasn’t that Eddie’s first week at the 118????  
**Chimney <** IT WAS!  
**Bobby <** I don’t think they were in love then. But I knew they would end up here.  
**Bobby <** Buck was actually flustered when Eddie complimented him.

“Flustered!” Karen exclaimed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Buck flustered.” Hen gazed down at her wife who was laying across the couch with her head in Hen’s lap. Hen had been absentmindedly playing with Karen’s hair (which Karen _loved_ ) and had a few strands wrapped around her knuckles. 

**Chimney <** You know that Eddie got under Buck’s skin that very first day  
**Chimney <** If Buck hadnt been so wrapped up in Abby back then things would be so much easier  
**Athena <** I hate to say our Buck needed his heart broken, but the heartbreak from Abby certainly helped him get to where he is today.  
**Athena <** We got front row seats to Buck maturing these past few years.  
Buck 3.0 smh ** >Hen**  
**Carla <** He really has come so far <3  
Maddie, how is your plan coming along? **> Hen**  
**Maddie <** So I'm thinking of asking him to meet me at this new trendy vegan restaurant, but I can’t think of a good reason for standing him up and suggesting he go with Eddie  
**Karen <** He would jump at the chance to try a new vegan restaurant!  
**Carla <** Oh he would love that, not so sure about Eddie though  
**Maddie <** Exactly  
**Chimney <** Hes so pretentious  
**Maddie <** Honestly, I figured Eddie would go because Buck asked. But even if he refused Buck would probably pick just another restaurant  
**Maddie <** I just can’t think of a plausible excuse for bailing  
**Maddie <** Buck is too good at telling when I am lying  
**Chimney <** Tell him you’re having contractions!  
He would just rush off to the hospital, Chim **> Hen**  
**Bobby <** He would just want to be at Maddie’s side  
**Karen <** No, he would just want to be there for Maddie  
**Chimney <** Alright, alright, hes too good of a brother for that  
**Chimney <** *eye roll*

Hen looked at the time and sighed. “You okay with making dinner, while I do some homework?” she asked.  
“Of course, babe,” Karen said, smiling up at her. “Just give me 5 more minutes on the couch with you.”  
“Anything for you,” Hen said, leaning down to kiss her wife’s forehead.

\---  
**Chimney**

Maddie was at a doctor’s appointment and Chimney, upset at not being able to go and bored at home on his own, invited Buck and Albert to go on a short hike. It was a small trail that had only just opened up after the mudslide, and while Albert was a little disappointed it wasn’t a more difficult trail he at least understood that Buck and Chimney both were hesitant to embark on a long trail with Maddie so close to her due date. The trail was fairly empty so they had taken their masks off, though Chimney was a bit weirded out by how naked he felt without it while in public. With Albert running ahead and out of earshot, Chimney decided it was a good time to ask Buck about his love life.  
And naturally- he was incredibly awkward about it.  
“So, Buck 3.0?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Is he gonna dip his toe in the dating pool anytime soon?”  
Buck let out a huff of breath, looking down at his feet. “Buck 3.0 is about letting go of the past, but honestly? I still don’t think that I’m really in the right headspace to be dating now. Therapy is helping, but it’s not an overnight process. It’s a lot of work letting go of nearly 30 years of low self esteem and abandonment issues.”  
“You’ll get there,” Chim said, clapping Buck on the back. “You’re honestly one of the best people ever, Buck.” Buck looked over at him with a single raised eyebrow. “I will deny it if you tell anyone.” He pointed a finger at Buck for emphasis. “But you are my favorite brother.”  
Buck’s face cracked into a brilliant smile and he put his hands over his heart. “Oh, Chim, do you mean it? Really and truly??”  
Chimney laughed and gave Buck a shove. “I hope it echoes in your ears for the rest of your life because I’m never repeating it.”  
“It’s okay. I’m Albert’s favorite brother too.”  
“You are not!”  
“And Albert has no problems telling me everytime I wash his clothes.”  
“You wash his clothes for him! Buck, never, ever give Albert _anything_ he will never be able to take care of himself!”  
“I don’t mind the laundry, so I don’t make a big deal about it. I do Eddie’s laundry sometimes too.”  
“You do Eddie’s laundry?” Chimney asked, eyebrows raised high above his aviator sunglasses.  
“Eddie hates doing laundry, and I mean hates. I’ve been over there while he was switching loads and he was grumbling under his breath the entire time. So sometimes if Eddie lets it pile up for too long I’ll do a couple loads while I’m there.”  
“You do Eddie’s _laundry?_ ” Chim asked again, eyebrows still raised. They were actually starting to hurt so Chimney let them relax and come back down to their normal position. He couldn’t believe this. How _domestic_. He was definitely telling that to the group chat.  
“Yeah, man, it’s not a big deal. Laundry helps my brain calm down. I focus on the clothes and not on all the negative shit running around up here.” He tapped his temple with his first finger, looking down at his feet again.  
There was a couple jogging towards them so the conversation stalled while Chimney and Buck pulled out their masks and put them on.  
They were quiet as the couple passed them, nodding in greeting and continuing on their way. When Chimney pulled his mask back off he asked, “So what happened with Eddie and the teacher?”  
Buck looked over at him, eyebrows raised again as he tucked his mask into his pocket. “He didn’t really say,” Buck answered.  
“He didn’t?” Chim asked. “Doesn’t he, like, tell you everything?”  
“Usually. But you know Eddie. He processes things on his own time, and when he’s ready he talks about it. All he would say was that she is the one who ended it and that he wasn’t really that bothered because it was just casual and now he doesn’t have to talk to Christopher about him dating.”  
“Christopher would be okay with him dating, though, right?”  
“I think he would,” Buck answered. “He is legitimately the best kid I have ever met, and he wants his dad to be happy.” Buck looked at his feet here and Chimney noticed his cheeks were a little more red than before. “Chris told me once he wants his dad to date me.” He chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck.  
Chimney knew this already, because Maddie had told him what Carla said. He was very interested in how red Buck was turning though, another thing to report to the group chat. “Christopher wants _you_ to date his dad?”  
"If I date his dad then we can hang out all the time."  
"You would love that." Chimney gave Buck a little shove. "Well all know Christopher is your favorite person in the entire world."  
"He is," Buck agreed. He shoved Chimney back a little harder so that Chimney veered off the trail briefly. "He's better than you lot by miles."  
They were quiet for a moment and Chimney debated whether or not he should ask. In the end his mouth won and he asked, "Would you?" Buck glanced over at Chimney but didn't say anything. "Date Eddie?" he clarified.  
Buck turned an alarming shade of red and opened his mouth to respond when they heard Albert call to them.  
"What are you two doing?" He was running towards them, sweaty and grinning. "I made it to the end of the trail and halfway back! Pick up your pace!!"  
Buck grinned and took off running. Chimney took out his phone and started texting.  
\---

**Athena**  
May was working, Bobby had run out to the store, and Harry was still staying with Michael so Athena found herself with a rare, quiet evening. She poured herself a glass of wine and headed to the table on the back patio. The Operation Idiots in Love chat she had started had been pretty active that day but Athena hadn’t had the chance to look through it until now. When she was all caught up with Chimney’s discussion with Buck and everyone’s reactions she sent off a “Sounds like they’re already dating…” and placed her phone face down on the table.  
Over the years she had come to think of Buck as her step son of sorts and after seeing his heart break so many times, she just wanted him to finally be happy. Athena wasn’t one to believe that a person needed to be in a relationship in order to be happy, but the only time she had seen Buck looking genuinely content and happy was when he was around Eddie.  
Plus she had been a cop for 30 years. She was an expert on picking up on the things left unsaid. She had no doubt that both of them wanted something more, but they were both too terrified of being rejected by the person they depend on the most.  
Maddie’s plan was half cooked, at least, and Athena didn’t think that it would really work the way that they wanted it to - and not just because Eddie refused to eat vegan.  
She was contemplating possible plans when Bobby returned. He dropped the groceries in the kitchen and came outside, hands falling on Athena’s shoulders and dropping a kiss to the top of her head.  
“You’re radiating your Sergeant Grant energy,” he said as he pulled out the chair next to her. She just raised her patented Athena Eyebrow at him. “Lay it on me.” Bobby waved a hand between them. “What are you planning?”  
“Nothing yet. Just thinking about what could work.”  
“For Buck and Eddie?”  
“Mhmm.” Athena sipped her wine.  
“You don’t think they need to get together in their own time? What if whatever ‘Operation’ we all come up with backfires and ruins their relationship?” The air quotes around ‘operation’ were very clear in his tone.  
“I think that their relationship, as it is, is strong enough to withstand any sort of awkwardness that we _may_ create if it backfires.” Bobby still looked skeptical. “Look, Buck and Eddie have both been burned in the past. And now they have essentially built their entire lives on top of each other. Co-dependant is how most people would think of it. They’re both terrified of losing each other so neither one of them will ever make the first move. They just need a little nudge. Something to get them both open their damn eyes and look at each other.”  
“Okay,” Bobby said, nodding. “We need to keep Chimney and Hen reined in though. They seem to be a little _too_ invested in this.”  
“Agreed.”  
“How about we have them over for dinner? Just the two of them and the two of us.”  
“Mmm a double date?” Athena gave a second, totally different, patented Athena Eyebrow.  
“That’s the goal isn’t it?” Bobby stood up pulling out his phone. “I’ll text them.”  
“Have it be next Friday,” Athena called. “May will be working late that day.”  
“Alright.” Bobby disappeared inside the house and Athena turned back to her wine. She picked up her own phone to text Hen and Michael about the three boys - Harry, Denny, and Christopher - having a much needed sleepover. Harry had been missing his friends since the pandemic started, and if it was just a small group Athena didn’t think they would have to worry too much.  
Twenty minutes later Michael was added to Operation Idiots in Love and Athena was texting Eddie to see if Christopher could sleepover Micheal’s next Friday.


End file.
